D5 (2005 on) Swirl Chamber operating arm

[S60D5NI]

Originally Posted by Tip

Hi mate.

Thanks for the info.

Does your fix seem to be sturdy ?

I have heard of even the volvo dealer fix not lasting too long.

Ricky

So far so good!

Like you - I have discovered the cost of a 'permanent' Volvo repair is an absolute disgrace.

I ordered a new link (arm) for £2.75 - went to collect it and found that it is different from the existing link as it has sockets at both ends rather than socket at one end and ball at the other. On further investigation the parts people confirmed you can't get an original link - and the new link only works with the modified swirl valve assembly. For a new assembly and all the various seals and bits and bobs they quoted £247 FOR THE PARTS! It’s a fairly extensive job to replace the swirl valve assembly and once complete, you have to re-calibrate the system for correct operation. Therefore I think you would be lucky to get away with a bill for less than £600. Even if you do it yourself the re-calibration (almost certainly a dealer job) will probably cost £100 - so you looking at £350 minimum. All this because a £3 piece of plastic has broken!

My car is only two months out of warranty so they would probably offer a good will discount. Even so I would imagine I could get the part reverse engineered in platinum for less!

As you can imagine I’m not best pleased with Volvo’s solution to this problem. From what I can see the failure is that the ball end breaks off at the engine end of the link. The link itself seems sturdy enough so all they have to do is strengthen the ball end. Look at the ball end on the operating motor arm - it’s metal and if they fitted this component to the end of the link I reckon the problem would be solved for a few quid! In fact, if I can get hold of these parts from the scrapper, I recon I could engineer this myself in a few hours.

[grainqey]

my d5 came with an invoice for an upgraded swirl arm or something if it helps i can post it up

[Tip]

That would be great if you could.

[rogers827]

Hi,
carried out the repair with the "hi-tech" kit from Volvo dealer (new arm, roofing nail and retaining star washer). Drilling the in-situ arm was tricky as had to be done at an angle. Fitted the pin but clearance from the engine head was minimal and it was catching slightly. Had to take the actuator off for clearance and take some material off the head with a dremmel type sanding head (about 25 thou ish) All okay now but a painstaking job. If you have the repair c/out by the dealer it might be worth popping the arm off the actuator ball joint and checking the clearance over the full range. If it sticks at all something is likely to break.

[daza01]

Hi
I had the same problem with "Engine System Service " message. A broken link arm was the cause. I repaired it by removing the plastic ball from the socket on the engine side of the link arm. I drilled it with a 2.5mm bit then tapped it to accept a small M3 bolt. I then opened up the hole in the link arm to 3mm. Before I reassembled it I filled the threaded hole with expoxy. It was a fiddly job but it does seem to be sturdy now. I cleared the DTCs with PPC reader and it everything is fine so far.

[bic1]

Hi, This is what I did and it really is simple to fit - and it works (so far)!!!
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=92301

[S60D5NI]

Update on earlier post....

Despite what my local dealer told me, a direct replacement arm IS STILL AVAILABLE - part No. 8692676.

Simon (RUFE) is the man!!

Also I agree with bic1 - I'm not convinced that the problem is a poor design of the arm, but that the motor assembly is over stressing the arm. Will investigate fitting bump stops.

Top-tip - many thanks bic1

[bic1]

Here's an interesting test which led me to the bump stop solution:
With your bonnet open and the swirl arm disconnected, start the engine.
I found (on my car) that when the engine is switched off, the stepper motor will go thro' a calibration procedure about one in five switch-offs. This involves the motor going well beyond the "normal" travel of the swirl arm, if it were connected. - This is the "overdrive" I am talking about.

If you try to stop the motor by hand, you will find it's power is WELL over the top for the strength of the arm, IMO. - In fact too powerful to stop at all by hand. Volvo are expecting the arm to stop this motor, when connected, hence the premature failures.

As I said in my orig thread, this is a common technique to calibrate stepper motor mechanisms - you see some speedos overdrive when the ignition is turned on for exactly the same reason - and avoids the need for expensive position transducers.

Correctly positioned, the bump stop takes the strain instead of the arm, but still lets the system calibrate correctly.

Trust me this works!

[S60D5NI]

Found this article which gives some more info. on the Swirl system, self calibration etc.

http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/tech/New...-Technical.pdf

[bic1]

Interesting article - I see, on page 11, that there is a calibration procedure every 5th switch off - just as I found on my V70.